Alumna named to state director position

An alumna of the College of Education is now managing psychology and behavioral health services for the state of Alabama.

Dr. Eliza Belle (Ph.D. '09) was recently named director of psychology and behavior science for Alabama's Department of Mental Health. In this position, Belle will coordinate the implementation, training and monitoring of behavioral and psychological services in community agencies.

Her office was established to provide education, training and professional support to community providers, and in her position, she will be responsible for ensuring that policies and procedures adhere to federal and state regulations and standards. she will also consult with staff in her department and in community programs, and she will supervise how psychological and behavioral services are delivered to individuals, through the department.

Belle, who studied counseling psychology at the University of Georgia College of Education, is a licensed psychologist and a certified forensic examiner who conducts tests, writes psychological reports and provides expert testimony in death penalty and other forensic cases.

Before accepting the new position, Belle was a chief psychologist at Bryce Hospital in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, one of the state's oldest inpatient psychiatric hospitals. Her previous research focused on professional burnout and self-care, as well as race and ethnicity. Along with contributing to a definition in the Encyclopedia of Counseling, her work and input has been cited in publications such as Essence, Ebony and Psychology Today.